Bedridden
by Etaleah
Summary: All Ryo could think about was how his life, his freedom and everything else had been taken away from him. But a random act of kindness can make almost anything better.


**Well, I'm back! And I'm SO HAPPY! I got a paid job writing! There was a contest to see who would get it, and we each had to submit a piece. And they said mine was the best! Yay! So after dealing with a lot of baby-sitting and theater stuff, I decided to go back to doing what I apparently do best: Writing! **

**This is a bit different from what I usually write, so I have my doubts. I feel like I filled up several pages with Ryo whining and complaining. But I'll try and make up for it later, because I started working on my longer Ryo/Fubuki story, and it's going really well! I have so many ideas. I've given myself a deadline of April 1, but I'm not making any promises because senior year is a crazy one. But who knows? It might even be up before then. Anyway, hope you all enjoy!**

Ryo shifted restlessly in the hospital bed. By all accounts, he should have been comfortable. The sheets were cool and freshly washed, the pillows were soft, and the room, despite the fact that it had basically had four white walls and a dresser, was clean and smelled good. The nurses had tucked him in and been kind to him since he'd arrived, and had even removed his IV, which he was extremely grateful for. He wasn't hot or cold and his stomach was full. And yet he still tossed and turned.

"It'll be okay, Brother," Shou had assured him. "I'll come visit you every day." He'd been smiling, but his face was lined with guilt.

"Shou," Ryo whispered, his stomach sick with humiliation and shame. He reached for his little brother's hand and squeezed it. Then he looked up at his little brother's pitying eyes and did something he never thought he would do: beg.

"Please, Shou," he begged and pleaded. "Don't do this. I'll find a way to take care of myself. I promise."

Shou lowered his eyes and squeezed back. "I'm sorry, Brother. But you need this. You need more care than I can give you. It's for your own good. You'll have nurses around twenty-four hours a day to do things for you."

What Shou could not possibly understand was that was the problem, not the solution. Ryo could take chest pains and lightheadedness and dizziness and fainting spells. He could even take living in a wheelchair, just so long as he still had some independence. He had even lived through heart attacks and through those earth-shattering moments when his heart stopped beating altogether. But he could not take the overwhelming helplessness that this place gave him every time a nurse helped him bathe or changed his bedpan. The look of pity in their eyes every time they saw this patient who was around sixty or seventy years younger than most inhabitants with heart conditions, this he could not handle.

Ryo sighed into his pillow and closed his eyes, swallowing hard. Some of his friends had come to visit him at first to try and make it easier, but they'd left fairly quickly because he didn't want to see any of them. They were reminders of how his life used to be, before he was stuck in this hellhole. Ryo knew he deserved his condition; he'd done it to himself, but if he had been given the choice as to whether he would prefer endless physical pain in a normal life or being comfortable in a nursing home, he would have immediately chosen pain without a moment's hesitation. Unfortunately, his body, his brother, and society in general had not allowed him to have that choice.

Even death seemed like a better option. Ryo's room was on the ground floor, which he suspected Shou had arranged on purpose to keep him from getting any bright ideas about trying to jump out the window. And of course, he had no access to anything even remotely dangerous in a nursing home and the nurses had shoved so much medicine down his throat that he doubted he'd have another heart attack, so it didn't look like he'd be dying anytime soon. If he tried to get out of bed or leave his room, not only would it hurt but the nurses would know right away because of security alarms and cameras they'd installed after losing a few seniors who'd fallen from their beds and couldn't get up. The only way out that he could think of was to refuse to eat or drink until his body stopped functioning, but he knew he wouldn't do it. It was a slow and painful way to go, and the nurses would probably just force-feed him anyway.

What Ryo could not understand was what was the point of him still being alive at all? He'd lived a decent life and was proud of it, but if all he was going to do was lay in bed alone every day for the rest of his life, what was the point of him even existing? He couldn't even go the bathroom without help, so it wasn't like he could do anything more with his life. He much preferred going out with a bang instead of decaying slowly and painfully.

A knock at the door interrupted his thoughts. "Ryo?" He didn't bother to answer. They always came in anyway.

"I brought you a snack," she offered upon entering, her voice hopeful. "I think your brother told me you liked rice cakes." She set the treat on his bedside table and stood there, hands clasped in front of her, waiting for him to respond. Ryo didn't even look up.

"Ryo? Honey, are you okay?" She reached out to touch him and he turned away from her. He hated being called "honey" or "sweetie" or any of the other pet names the nurses had for their patients. Could they not see that he was a grown man and not a child?

"I…also brought some other things," her voice faltered, sounding much less hopeful now. There was the sound of her rummaging through a bag. He still didn't bother to look.

"I brought you some books. I figured you must get bored just sitting here everyday. It'll get better though. We'll be having activities in the next couple of weeks that you can participate in, and then it won't be so bad. We have bingo and movie nights and..." He still hadn't moved a muscle. She sighed. "Ryo, I know it's hard now, but it'll get better. I promise. All of our members have a hard time adjusting at first, but eventually they learn to like it here. Honey, will you please talk to me? I can help you."

Ryo buried his head in the pillow and closed his eyes, hoping she'd get the message and leave soon. He didn't want to rudely dismiss her, but at the same time, he wanted her out of his room.

"There's just one more thing I have for you," she said, her voice now sad and defeated. "I brought you a new pack of Duel Monster Cards." Ryo's eyes widened but he still didn't look up. She continued, "I saw a bunch of booster packs on sale and I thought of you because I know you love to duel. I recently learned how…I thought maybe you and I could play together. I know it wouldn't be anything like what you're used to, but at least it would keep you from being so lonely. Does that sound okay to you?" After a few seconds, she assumed there wouldn't be an answer and turned to go.

"Thank you," he whispered, his voice barely audible. She stopped and smiled, her spirits lifted. "You're welcome." Her soft footsteps echoed down the hallway as she closed the door behind her.

For the first time in several hours, Ryo sat up. He reached for the booster packs and tore them open, the faintest bits of excitement stirring inside him as the cards, brand new and without wrinkles or fingerprints, spilled onto the bed. He held them up, inhaled the new-card smell, and looked them over. Obviously they weren't the strong and powerful type of cards he'd always used, but they weren't bad. Some of the monster effects were actually pretty good.

After he'd looked at them all, he set them on the bedside table and, after much debate, ate the rice cake. He saw that lights-out was in thirty minutes and reached for a book to help him go to sleep. As he began to nod off a while later, he thought he could feel a smile creeping onto his face.

A rice cake, some books, new cards and a potential dueling opponent. Quality room service, as Fubuki would say. Deciding to keep the smile for now, he set the book aside and settled in for the night. He felt his eyes begin to close and thought maybe he could tolerate his new living situation a little longer. At the very least, he'd be entertained. A nurse had made sure of that.

**Let it be known that I know absolutely nothing about nursing homes. I have never visited one, nor have I ever know anybody who has lived in one, therefore this whole story was a product of my imagination. I hope I didn't screw it up too badly, and if I did, please accept my sincerest apologies. **

**Lol, can you imagine Ryo playing bingo with a bunch of old people? That image popped into my head while I was taking my ACT this morning, and I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing! :)**


End file.
